Chapter 6 - Martin Warned Me a Month Before the Wedding
Martin Hale had managed Arden House before Morrow took over:
operations.
I kept him.
Best decision I made.
He knew:
every electrical panel,
every permit inspector,
every vendor loading shortcut.
He could calm a furious father-of-the-bride without surrendering:
one inch
of contractual authority.
Three weeks before the wedding, he asked:
“Do you have five minutes?”
“Sure.”
He closed my office door.
“I need permission to treat your sister like a regular client.”
I laughed.
“That sounds ominous.”
“I’m serious.”
“What happened?”
Brielle had:
berated a banquet captain,
demanded a server be removed because she disliked her hairstyle,
entered the kitchen despite safety rules,
told Martin:
“My sister owns you.”
I closed my eyes.
“She said what?”
“Technically inaccurate.”
“Martin.”
“I’m coping.”
I apologized.
Then said:
“I’ll handle her.”
He asked:
“How?”
Good question.
I called Brielle.
She said Martin was:
“too rigid.”
I said:
“Don’t talk to staff that way.”
She said:
“They’re being paid.”
“Payment does not buy humiliation.”
“I didn’t humiliate anyone.”
Conversation ended with:
her
angry at:
me.
I told Martin:
“It’s handled.”
It wasn’t.
May you like
Clue two.
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